Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 16 November 2016
91. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality her plans to introduce a national early intervention and prevention strategy specifically tailored to meet the needs of Traveller women to address the fact that the risk of Traveller women being imprisoned is 18 to 22 times greater than that for the general population. [35505/16]
View answerAs the Deputy is aware from my response to previous questions on this issue, there is a comprehensive consultation process underway (led by my Department) to develop a new National Traveller and Roma Inclusion Strategy to improve the situation for the Traveller and Roma communities in Ireland. Phase 1 (identification of key themes for the new Strategy) and Phase 2 (identification and agreement of high level objectives under each agreed theme) of that consultation process have been completed. The final phase, Phase 3 (identification of detailed actions to achieve each agreed objective, with associated time-scales, key performance indicators, institutional responsibilities and monitoring arrangements), is currently underway. This process will provide a new set of specific, cross-Departmental actions that need to be taken to bring about a real improvement in quality of life for Travellers and Roma. It is intended that the new Inclusion Strategy will run from 2016 to 2020 and that it will be in place later this year.
The issue of enhancing services to Travellers who come into contact with the criminal justice system is being considered in the context of the finalisation of the new Inclusion Strategy.
